Victim-set animal-trap.



J. H. VOSS.

= VICTIM SET ANIMAL TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 27, 1912.

Patented Jan. 28, 1913.

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J. H. VOSS.

VICTIM SET ANIMAL TEAB. APPLICATION FILED MAY 27, 1912.

1,051,469. Patented Jan.28,1913.

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JOHN H. VOSS, OF WALNUT, IOWA.

VICTIM-SET ANIMAL-TRAP.

Lil-531,469.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN H. Voss, a citizen of the United States,residing at Walnut, in the county of Pottawattamie and State of Iowa,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Victim- SetAnimal-Traps; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will. enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention felates to traps, and more especially to those which areset by the vietim; and the object of the same is to produce a trap ofthis character in which the victim (be it animal, fowl or anything elseto which the trap is adapted) will close the front door behind himselfeither by nibbling on the bait or on passing over an internal platform,and will close the latter behind himself and simultaneously open thefront door as he passes under the rear door and out of the trap into acage'with which the trap is used. This object is accomplished byconstructing the trap in the manner hereinafter more fully described andclaimed, and as shown in the drawings wherein Figure 1 is a sideelevation of this improved trap partly broken away, with its parts set;Fig. 2 is a similar side elevation with its parts sprung so that theanimal is supposed to be trapped therein;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation showing the rear door opened as it would beby the exit of the animal, when its wire resets the trap;

Fig. 4L is an end elevation of the trap shown in Fig. 1, taken from therear thereof; and Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line 55 of Fig. 1.Fig. 6 is a perspective detail of the stop hereinafter referred to.

The body of this trap comprises a substantially rectangular framework 1,the two sides and top being covered with netting or other reticulatedfabric 2, the top panel being preferably hinged as at 3 and latched asat 4 so that it may be raised to gain access to the interior as forapplying the bait, and the front and rear ends of the body being leftopen for the entrance and exit of the victims. The exact sizes, shapes,proportions, and materials of these and other parts yet to be describedare matters of no moment in connection with this invention,

and changes therein may be made as do not depart from the spirit of thesame. It is Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 27, 1912.

Patented Jan. 28, 1913.

Serial No. 699,934.

obvious that if the trap is intended for catching small animals such asmice it will be built on a small scale and the cage (not shown) usedwith it will be small, whereas if the trap is intended for catchinglarger animals the proportions of all parts will be amplified.

What might be called the front door 10 is supported at its upper edge ona cross bar 11 having at one side of the trap a T-shaped extension 12,and the rear or lower edge of the door when closed strikes against asill 13 secured across the bottom of the trap body, or strikes againstastop 14 within the body when the door is opened. The forward arm of thehead of the T-shaped extension 12 is connected by a wire or chain 15with a spring 16 outside the body, the tension of this spring tendingnormally to swing the front door to open position, although when theextension is moved to swing the door to closed position, the upper endof said wire or chain passes the pivotal line on which the door is hungand the tension of the spring enables it to keep the door closed in amanner which will be clear.

hat might be called the rear door 20 is supported across its upper edgewithin the frame of the body as at 21, and the'oute-r end of itssupporting shaft is depressed into a lever 22, while the free end ofthis door when closed rests against a notched sill 23 whose notchesreceive the tips of the tongues of which the body of the door is by preference composed. Said lever is connected outside the cage body by meansof a wire or chain with the lower portion of the T- shaped extension 12on the shaft of the front door, and it follows that when the victimpasses under the rear door the move ment of the lever to the rear turnsthe extension so that the front door is automatically opened.

that might be called an intermediate door, although in reality it ismore properly speaking a platform 30, is pivoted at its lower forwardedge at 31 in the frame work of the trap body, its pivotal shaft risinginto a lever 32 outside said body and connect-ed by a wire or chain33with the head of said T-shaped extension, the length of the wire orchain being such that as the victim passes to the rear over the platformand depresses it, the lever will draw on the wire or chain and close thefront door. Endeavoringto pass to the rear he next passes under the reardoor which opens the front door in a manner just described.

As an auxiliary means for closing the front door behind the victim, Iprovide a special form of bait holding device. This consists of a shaft50 journaled in the top of the frame work of the trap body, and having apendent arm 51 inside said frame work, from the lower end of which achain 52 leads forward past the platform and carries the bait indicatedat 53 which stands nearer the front end of the trap and in position forthe victim to reach even before he has passed over the platform. Theouter end of the shaft 50 carries an upstanding lever or arm 55connected by a chain or wire 56 with the head of the T-shaped extension12, and it follows that if the victim grabs the bait and draws it towardthe front door he swings the device so that the rearward movement of itsupstanding lever causes the front door to close. The light at the rearattracts the victim, and he will then pass over the platform and out theback door, which last act opens the front door in a manner alreadydescribed. Particular attention is called to the fact that the openingof the back door causes the opening of the front door, and the movementof the T- shaped extension 12 also causes the rise of the platform 30,so that the trap is completely set ready for the next victim.

Thus it will be seen that I have produced a trap having in reality threedoors and in which when set the two rearmost doors stand closed. Thevictim enters under the open front door and, either by pulling on thebait or passing over the intermediate door or platform, depresses thelatter and closes the front door behind him, and then he is within thetrap between its two extreme doors which are both closed. Passing onwardto the rear because he sees a light through the openwork rear door, helifts the latter, closes the platform or intermediate door behind him,and opens the front door so that he sets the trap ready for the nextvictim; and from the rear door he passes into a large cage C.

What is claimed as new is 1. In a trap of the class described, thecombination with the body normally open at its front and rear ends, afront door hinged across its top therein and having a T- shapedextension on the extremity of its hinge line standing outside the body,a spring attached to the latter, and a chain connecting the spring withthe front end of the head of said extension and adapted to pass acrossthe projected pivotal line when the door is moved; of a rear door havinga lever extended from its hinge line, connections between said lever andthe lower arm of said T-shaped extension whereby the front door isopened by the opening of the rear door, an intermediate platform hingedbetween said doors within the body and also having a lever on itsextended hinge line, and connections between this lever and the upperend of said extension for the purpose set forth.

2. In a trap of the class described, the combination with the bodynormally open at its front and rear ends, a front door hinged across itstop therein and having a T-shaped extension on'the extremity of itshinge line standing outside the body, a spring attached to the latter,and a chain connecting the spring with the front end of the head of saidextension and adapted to pass across the projected pivotal line when thedoor is moved; of a rear door having a lever extended from its hingeline, connections between said lever and the lower arm.

of said T-shaped extension whereby the front door is opened bytheopening of the rear door, a platform hinged within the body between thetwo doors, connections between this platform and the upper end of.

said extension on the front door for closing the latter when theplatform is depressed, a rocking bait-holder also mounted within thebody and having a depending arm therein and an upstanding lever exteriorthereto, connections between said lever and the head of said extensionon the front door, a chain leading from said depending arm past theplatform, and bait attaching means at the front end of said chain.

3. In a trap of the class described, the combination with the bodynormally open at its front and rear ends, a front door hinged across itstop therein and having a T-shaped extension on the extremity of itshinge line standing outside the body, a spring attached to the latter,and a chain connecting the spring with the front end of the head of saidextension and adapted to pass across the projected hinge line when thedoor is" sion, a rock shaft mounted in the body and having an upstandinglever on its outer end, connections between this lever and the head ofsaid T-shaped extension, an arm depending rigidly from said rock shaft,and baitholding means connected with the lower end of said arm, for thepurpose set forth.

4. In a trap of the class described, the combination with the bodynormally open at its front and rear ends, a front door hinged thereinand having an extension on the extremity of-its hinge line, and a springconnected to said extension and adapted to pass across the projectedhinge line when the door is moved; of a rear door having a leverextended from its hinge line, connections between said lever and theextension whereby the front door is opened by the opening of the reardoor, a rock shaft mounted in the body and having a lever on its outerend, connections between this lever and the extension, an arm dependingrigidly from said rock shaft whereby the front door is closed by a pullon the arm, and bait-holding means connected with said arm, for thepurpose set forth.

5. In a trap of the class described, the combination with the bodynormally open at its front and rear ends, and a front door hinged acrossits top therein and having an extension on the extremity of its hingeline; of a rear door having a lever extended from Copies of this patentmay be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the CommissionerWashington, D. 0.

its hinge line, connections between said lever and the lower arm of saidextension whereby the front door is opened by the opening of the reardoor, means for holding the front door open, a rock shaft mounted in thebody and having a lever on its outer end, connections between this leverand the head of said extension for tripping said holding means, an armdepending rigidly from said rock shaft, and bait-holding means connectedwith the lower end of said arm, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JOHN H. VOSS.

Witnesses H. P. KoLL, A. J. I'IANSEN.

of Patents,

